Chapter 043 Chapter 43
Birds were chirping outside the window. Xie had woken up a long time ago and was leaning on the bed reading a book. She watched her daughter wake up with a moan, and looked at Yao Niang with full expectation. She was so beautiful, more beautiful than herself, and also smarter, more clever and more carefree than herself.
"Mother, I slept so well last night. Do you see that my eyes are red? I always can't sleep well in a carriage." Yao Niang yawned after she said this.
Xie looked at her daughter's eyes carefully and said, "They are a little red."
Yao Niang smiled and said, "Then apply a hot towel to it later, mother, I have no other plans. The Luoyang peony will bloom in April next year. This time, everything will be handled by your daughter. I will take you to play and paint a few more pictures for you."
Taking the first step bravely is the real growth.
After the mother and daughter got up, the old concubine sent someone to deliver breakfast. Magistrate Xie always brought his own cook and servants with him wherever he went, so the taste would not change much.
After having breakfast of rice balls, wontons, steamed buns, two kinds of porridge and a few side dishes, Yao Niang and Jie stood up and stretched.
The prices in Henan are much cheaper than those in Beijing and Nanjing. Kaifeng is known as the ancient capital of eight dynasties, and of course it is also a place with rich cultural heritage. When Jie Zhifu first took office, he was in a mess. Kaifeng Prefecture governed four states and 28 counties, and he had to make a good handover with the people left behind by his predecessor.
Even during lunch, he had to review cases. Fortunately, Mr. Wang, who was by Prefect Xie's side, was very good at criminal law, and Mr. Xu was a famous assistant, and he also had to follow Prefect Xie to contact high-ranking officials in the province.
Master Xu and Yao Niang had the same idea. He said to Prefect Jie, "Dong Weng, we don't know if Master Zhu (the Third Old Master) has any enemies while in office. We should hold back now and reveal it slowly in the future."
Although it is said that it is easy to be an official if you have connections in the court, if you happen to meet a political enemy, you will be like a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth.
At dinner, the family ate together, but the old concubine refused to sit down. She was a stubborn old lady and only wanted to sit at the small table beside them to eat. Yao Niang then realized why Xie had always been so polite, and it was actually because of the old concubine.
"Grandpa, what do you think is the most difficult thing these days?" Yao Niang asked casually.
Prefect Xie had a very good temper. When Yao Niang asked him about it, he did not scold her. Instead, he patiently replied, "The vassal kings are asking for rice. There are many vassal kings in Henan. This year is also a disaster year. The rice has not been replenished. The previous prefect's office was demolished. It was only repaired before I came."
When it comes to the issue of the royal family and vassal states, Prefect Jie is also very eloquent. Yao Niang suddenly feels that those who can become officials are actually not bad, and are even much better than ordinary people. But why do many people say that they are mediocre? It's still the same old saying, the first bird to be shot is the one that is afraid of being shot.
It is also said that Chen Tongzhi's wife asked Xie to go to the silver shop to make hairpins. She wanted to ask Xie what she meant by that and then act as a bridge. Otherwise, even if she did a good deed, others might not appreciate it.
But Susan Chan was genuinely happy.
Yao Niang actually had enough jewelry. When she was in the capital, her sisters would buy new ones every now and then, and her father would also give her jewelry on her birthday every year. After she started to grow her hair, she felt it was new at first, but later, all those jar-hairpins and buns that looked so gorgeous with pearls, jade, gold and silver gave her a headache when she wore them on her head.
Therefore, she usually decorated her hair with silk or gauze flowers or real flowers instead of embroidering it with pearls and jade.
Xie also wanted to take her daughter out to see the local customs. Yao Niang and Chen Shuyi rode in the same carriage. Chen Shuyi boldly introduced them, "Mother said that we should go to the silver shop to look at the styles later, and then go to the Yuelai Restaurant for dinner. Their peach steamed buns are absolutely amazing."
"That's great. I was wondering what Kaifeng has to offer, and I'm grateful for your introduction." Yao Niang said with a smile. She opened the carriage curtain again and saw the notice posted on the street. She couldn't help but frown: "How can we catch the criminal with a painting like this? I don't think we can catch the fugitive even if we spend a hundred years."
Chen Shuyi carefully leaned over to take a look and couldn't help but say, "It's scary."
Yao Niang laughed and said, "It won't be scary if we catch the bad guys."
Then, she asked Chen Shuyi: "Sister Chen, have you ever been to Kaifeng Mansion?"
Susan Chan shook her head: "I seldom go out and I am too lazy to go out."
Unlike her, Yao Niang wanted to go wandering around the Xie family. The scenery of mountains and famous peaks was too far away, but it would be unacceptable if she hadn't even been to Kaifeng Prefecture.
In another carriage, Madam Chen quietly inquired about Xie's past, "Madam Yan, do you have only one daughter?"
Xie smiled and said, "Of course not. I have an eldest son who is an official in the capital."
"He's an official now?" Mrs. Chen was a little skeptical. Could he be a stepson?
Seeing that she didn't believe him, Xie said, "Yes, my son has been successful in the imperial examinations. Before he was 20 years old, he was already ranked second in the imperial examinations. He is now serving as a scholar in the Hanlin Academy."
How should I put it? Be a little more modest with people you know, but don't be shy with people you don't know.
Mrs. Chen was surprised: "Oh, your son is really a dragon and a phoenix. Unfortunately, I only have one daughter, Shuyi. This child is honest and I want to find a live-in son-in-law in the future. If you know anyone, you must introduce one to me."
"Recruiting a son-in-law? That's great. Now a son-in-law can also take part in the imperial examinations, and there's a smart person like you." Xie said.
Why didn't Mrs. Chen ask about Xie's husband again? The reason is that as a woman, if she has daughters or children, she has to rely on men for a living. But if her son is already an official, then she will become an old lady in the future. Why should she serve others?
Mrs. Chen was amazing. She came from a small merchant family. She fell in love with her husband, who was a junior high school scholar and came from a farming family, at first sight. She brought two shops as a dowry and managed the business to support her husband. Later, relying on her ability to get along with people, when her husband was still a scholar, she established good relationships with the wives of the Yujian students in the provincial capital and even helped her husband get a recommendation from the Gongjian.
Later, when her husband went to the Imperial College, she simply sold her shop and went to study with him. She was more concerned than her husband about poetry gatherings and lectures. She even went to the Imperial College's director's wife because she knew she loved playing mahjong, and often played mahjong with her. Later, she learned that the director's wife was most worried about her son's homosexuality, so she spent a lot of effort to find a stunning woman for him. couple is very happy.
This made the Director of the Imperial College take good care of her husband, and Chen Tongzhi certainly did not disappoint her expectations, and he finally passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi at the age of 35.
Because she was only a top-three scholar and had no connections, others who had connections were forced to stay in Beijing, so her husband had to be sent out. Mrs. Chen used her superb skills and later found a job while her husband was currently serving as the Tongzhi of Kaifeng Prefecture.
Therefore, Mrs. Chen's eyes were very bright.
"If you are staying here for a long time, you have to make some income for yourself. I have invested 20% in the local Peng family. I can introduce you to them when the time comes." Mrs. Chen was very sincere.
This is how she is. If she wants to please others, she has to be sincere to them, be concerned about others' concerns, and think about what they think. If 10% of the people she treats sincerely are good people, she will be rewarded.
Of course, this sincerity also depends on the person you are trying to please.
Xie is not averse to dealing with smart people. Smart people generally know current affairs and are much better than stupid people.
Soon they arrived at the jewelry store. Kaifeng Prefecture was not as prosperous as the capital, but the style was down-to-earth and not fancy. Yao Niang took out a box of jewelry sent by Yan Yingqi and placed it on the counter and said, "I happen to have a ruby, so I'll inlay it on the boudoir and the cat's eye stone will be made into a ring."
The shopkeeper took them in his hands and looked at them for a long time: "These gems are really one in a million, and they are worth a fortune."
Yao Niang smiled and said, "This is a birthday present my father gave me, so it is naturally very good."
Mrs. Chen thought that it was a good thing that she didn't say it out loud, otherwise, it would be really embarrassing. Besides, this little girl from the Yan family would casually spend money on such valuable jewelry, so she must not be from an ordinary family.
She wanted to tell her daughter to get closer to Yao Niang, but she thought of Shuyi's personality and how difficult it was to have a friend. If she really said that, it would be mean-spirited and her daughter would definitely be unhappy.
After ordering the jewelry, they agreed to go to a teahouse for dinner. Mrs. Chen smiled and said, "Since I invited you out today, I will be the host. Don't try to steal the meal from me."
Yao Niang thought that this Mrs. Chen was indeed an important person. Chen Shuyi was a very honest person. When she heard on the road that Yao Niang's ancestral home was in Jinling, she told her all her background. Her father was born in a peasant family, but because of his intelligence, he studied in a community school for a few years, and worked as a book boy for others. Later, he passed the examination and became a scholar. Their family was largely thanks to her mother's management.
For a moment, she felt that such people were real and alive. They had desires, dared to think and act, and did not wait for others to rescue them.
Later, after the hairpin arrived, Xie invited Mrs. Chen again. Yao Niang and Chen Shuyi interacted quite frequently, and she even painted a picture of Chen Shuyi smiling while holding a flower.
The girl in the picture is infinitely shy and tender, which perfectly captures the beauty of Chen Shuyi.
Chen Shuyi was of course very fond of it. When Mrs. Chen saw it, she also came to explain to Xie: "That little shadow is really well drawn. Yao Niang is really knowledgeable."
"Stop praising her, or she'll be in big trouble."
"That's nothing. Good children should be praised. By the way, the Censor's daughter Shao Xixi is having her coming-of-age party. She is a very lively girl. Originally, only Shuyi was invited. You guys just came, so she might not know about it. But I thought Yao Niang and Shuyi have a good relationship, so it would be better for us to go to the ceremony together. It would also be like making another friend. So, I asked her to write me a note." Mrs. Chen was really worried about her daughter. She was a person who liked to work intrigues. She could find a way to work in even if there was no loophole. But her daughter was so honest, didn't like to join in the fun, and was afraid of people.
Xie thought that it was good for her daughter to be with her more often, but she also needed friends of the same age to talk and play with, which was far better than anything else.
So, I agreed.
This was the first time that Yao Niang went out with someone other than her sisters. She asked Chen Shuyi, "Sister, are you familiar with the daughter of this provincial governor?"
Chen Shuyi shook her head: "I have only seen her once, when her grandfather took office and my mother took me there. However, I heard from Miss Peng that she had a very good relationship with the governor's granddaughter."
With a mother like Mrs. Chen who is good at socializing, even if Chen Shuyi often does not go out, she will still be influenced by her.
"Sister Chen, let's sit together and talk after the ceremony. It will be more comfortable this way." Yao Niang didn't know anyone, and she felt more comfortable with Chen Shuyi.
Chen Shuyi was just hoping for this: "Okay."
The two came to the back hall of the Censorate, asked the maid to deliver the invitation, and followed the adults in. Unexpectedly, the protagonist of today's coming of age ceremony, Shao Xixi, was a very enthusiastic and lively girl. She took Chen Shuyi and Yao Niang's hands and went in together, pretending to complain: "I didn't expect two good sisters to come today. Come in quickly. My surname is Shao, my given name is Xixi, you can just call me Xixi."
Yao Niang also introduced herself with a smile: "I am the granddaughter of Magistrate Xie, and this is the daughter of Tongzhi Chen. My name is Yao Niang, and her name is Shuyi."
Shao Xixi called them by their names affectionately, and then led them to a small flower hall, where two girls were already sitting. One was tall and slender, with plump skin, like a lady in a painting of ladies, while the other was plump and looked really festive.
Several people greeted each other. The tall girl was Ye Jingwan, the granddaughter of the Left Governor of Henan. That is, after Yao Niang's grandfather was promoted to the Governor of the River, the original Right Governor was promoted to the Left Governor. The other fat girl was Yu Qing'er, the daughter of the general.
Unexpectedly, among the few people, the baby-faced Yu Qing'er is the oldest, Shao Xixi is the second son, Ye Jingwan and Chen Shuyi are both fourteen years old, and Yao Niang is the youngest.
"Is Miss Yan from Beijing?" Yu Qing'er asked.
Yao Niang nodded: "Yes."
"I heard that women in the capital are fond of playing polo?"
"right."
"Can you do that?"
Yao Niang shook her head: "I don't know how to do that. I haven't been in Beijing for long."
The two of them exchanged a few words in a mild and mild manner. Ye Jingwan was a bit arrogant and didn't pay much attention to others. Not to mention Chen Shuyi, who was the type to talk less if possible. Yao Niang had just arrived and didn't want to give everyone the impression that she was talkative.
It just so happened that a coming-of-age ceremony was to be held in the front yard, so Yao Niang and Chen Shuyi went there together. Shao Xixi's parents were both present at the ceremony, and the rest of the main guests, sponsors, officiants, bearers and deacons were all women. Three deacons held three trays, holding hairpins, hairpins and hairpin crowns. However, the musician who was invited to play the piano was missing at this time.
The wife of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner spread her hands and said, "What kind of thing is this? I invited everyone here specially. Last time, for Xixi's tenth birthday, the old man made such a big longevity peach bun, but it just happened to split in the middle, and now this has happened again."
Yao Niang thought that this wife of the Censor was very strange. A normal mother would usually invite someone else immediately. She would never say that her daughter was unlucky at a coming-of-age banquet.
Sure enough, the Censor frowned and said, "Can we find another master to come over?"
"It's not that easy to find. These people must come from a good family and have good piano skills..."
Everyone knows that nowadays, as long as the family has some money, girls can learn to read and write, but there are few who can play and sing. Most of them are musicians or children of famous families.
Yao Niang looked at Shao Xixi and saw that she was about to burst into tears. Ye Jingwan, who had just been a little aloof standing beside Yao Niang, said, "It must be her stepmother who is causing trouble?"
"Miss Ye, what does this mean?" Yao Niang couldn't help but ask.
Ye Jingwan snorted coldly, "Her stepmother always sees her as a thorn in her side. She always bullies her for no reason. How can she let her have all the limelight? Miss Yan, even though Xixi always smiles, she doesn't have an easy life." After saying that, she immediately went to comfort Shao Xixi.
The wife of the Censor looked as if she had nothing to do at this moment.
Seeing that the Censor looked impatient and ready to leave at any time, Yao Niang took a deep breath and stood up.
"Mrs. Shao, why don't you let me sing the song 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'?"
The wife of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner could not help but twitch her eyebrows, and then she laughed dryly and said, "Little girl, are you able to do it?"
Yao Niang said confidently, "I learned konghou from Huang Xianzhi, the runner-up in the 46th year of Hongxing, and I also learned guqin from Master Yu, so how could I not be able to play it? Now that things are urgent, why not let me give it a try?"
"Father, let Miss Yan try." Shao Xixi didn't want her coming-of-age ceremony to fail.
At this point, the Censor nodded and said, "Okay, let her try."
Yao Niang sat calmly in front of the guqin and tuned the strings. Immediately, the sound of the guqin came, flowing and natural. Sometimes it was like the sound of a gurgling stream, and sometimes it was like the sound of a waterfall. One could even see the endless mountains from the sound of the guqin.
The truly good piano art is definitely not about showing off one's skills, but about the ability of the piano sound to immerse people in it. This is the true piano art.
After the song was over, Yao Niang was ready to retire, but was stopped by Shao Xixi, who said that she would hold a banquet in the inner room and only invite a few of their close relatives.
Because of this incident, everyone was not so awkward when they sat together again. Shao Xixi said to Yao Niang, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you just now. My mother sold her dowry for my father's career. Later, my mother died of illness. My father's career was very successful, so he married a stepmother from a famous family. She gave birth to two younger sisters and disliked me for taking up the title of the eldest daughter. My father had to find a good marriage for me, so my stepmother naturally hated me."
"At least your father is trying to find a good marriage for you, no matter how bad it is for his reputation. I am miserable."
Everyone was surprised to hear that the person who said this was Yu Qing'er. Yu Qing'er poured himself a glass of wine, drank it all, and then smiled bitterly, "I grew up with my grandparents, and only returned to my parents when I was old enough to remember things. My sister is prettier than me and can speak better than me, so my parents are biased. Fortunately, my grandparents love me, and my grandmother is a lady of the countryside, so they are willing to give me a share of their private property and not let my parents give me a dowry. But this year, my father paid the fine and sent my mother's dowry with him. My sister and I are only one year apart, and they despise me because I am fat and stupid, and they wish I would die immediately so that they can give all of my grandmother's private property to my sister."
Yao Niang advised: "I'm afraid this is impossible. How can parents treat their children like this?"
Yu Qing'er wiped away tears with red eyes: "No one would believe it. Now that I am at home, they are finding fault with me. It would be great if I could go back to my hometown and be with my grandparents."
"At least you still have grandparents, but they don't love me." Chen Shuyi, who was always silent, also complained: "My father was born in a peasant family and became an official, but my mother only gave birth to me. My mother is strong-willed, but my grandmother and grandfather often beat chickens and dogs at home and said that my mother is a hen that doesn't lay eggs. Even because of my dull personality, my father often dislikes me and says that I am not capable even if I beg for food. My father often cares more about my cousins than me, and even sends half of his salary back to them. If I make a new shirt or skirt, my father will definitely say that I am extravagant. If I wear simple clothes, my father will say that I am petty."
Everyone was silent again after hearing this. Yao Niang stroked her shoulder and sighed, "It's true that every family has its own problems."
Ye Jingwan smiled at Chen Shuyi and said, "Although I often watch from the sidelines, I know that your mother loves you very much and treats you like a pearl in her palm. My mother was the second wife. After she got married, she wanted to have a son. However, she had a difficult labor when giving birth to me. No matter how she treated me, she couldn't get pregnant again. So she was extremely cold to me. She even asked a fortune teller to tell her fortune. The fortune teller said that I was a hindrance to her. She gave me to someone as a child bride in her infancy and changed the person's surname. She said that only in this way could the mother and daughter be safe. Later, the male child of that family died, and my mother disliked me because I was a jinx and said that I was a hindrance to the whole family. I had no choice but to follow my grandfather to take office."
After listening to everyone's stories, Yao Niang said, "My parents were very kind to me, and my brother also had a very successful career at a young age. Although my grandmother favored my brother, she was at most a little cold to me. When my grandfather saw that I was being ignored, he would take me to the market to play."
Ye Jingwan said unhappily, "Are you saying this to irritate us?"
Yao Niang shook her head: "It's a pity that my father is the heir to two houses, but my mother is not the head of the first house. It would be better if they didn't live together. If they lived together, my mother's status would be awkward, and mine would be awkward too. My grandmother only wanted my brother to be the successor, and didn't want my mother. Even when my brother got married, she showed no respect to my mother, and treated her like a servant."
Everyone guessed that Yao Niang was so extraordinary and must have an excellent family background, but they didn't expect that she had such a past.
Shao Xixi raised her glass and said, "I thought my life was hard, but I didn't expect that everyone else was. I am lucky to have the opportunity to meet a few friends. This is my blessing."
"It's also my honor." Yao Niang rarely shared so many of her inner thoughts with anyone other than her mother and brother.
Ye Jingwan also raised her glass: "People outside probably think we are all rich ladies, wearing silk and satin, as if we are already in the best of times. Little do they know how many troubles we have that outsiders don't know about?"
"Let's not talk too much, just continue to enjoy your food and drinks." Shao Xixi invited everyone to eat.
People talked to each other and exchanged their opinions, discussing everything under the sun.
At this time, it was——
Mountains and rivers are not important; what is important is to meet a close friend.
Yao Niang took a sip of the drink and felt that it was really nice to come to Henan. It was also good to be able to make friends.
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